Looking for a good solar set up, off grid only

[maple flats]

I am looking to set up my second solar system, the first is a 6.32 KW dual system, I have 1480 watts on a battery backup system, with an XW6048 inverter/charger and it is also grid tied. Then I also have 4840 watts with a 5KW Fronius inverter, net metered.
I now, at another location want to set up a 2500 watt +/- system, completely off grid. I like the Rolls Surrette 5000 batteries and I must have a pure sine wave inverter and a good MPPT CC. This will be wall mounted on a south facing exposure over new vinyl siding. Suggestions please. I think I want a battery bank of 48V and about 450-500 AH +/- at 20 hr. rate

[Sunking]

So what are you asking?

At 2500 watts @ 48 volt battery is a minimum 50 amp controller. That leaves you with a choice on a Morning Star Tristar 65 amp or better yet a Midnite Solar Classic 150 or 200

As for battery size at 48 volts with 2500 watt leaves you a AH range of 400 to 600 AH take your pick since you have not specified any daily Kwh usage makes it a wild Arse Guess.

As for Inverter no larger than 3000 watts with a 2500 watt panel with Generator Support and built in battery charger. Take your pick.

But I can tell you are going about this all wrong Flats if you have not determined daily Kwh usage. I know where you live so Solar Insolation is poor in the late Fall and early Spring, and Winter is almost non existent.

[Mike90250]

My favorite gear is the XW series inverter/charger & the Morningstar Tristar MPPT 60 with the web interface built in.

[maple flats]

My daily KWH calculates at 3.4 kwh and my Dec. insolation with panels on a vertical mount is 2.0. I have a backup gen.
I have a gassifier powered (wood chunks) generator which can when needed be run 1-2 hrs/day. That is 15KW but likely only 10KW on wood gas. No, I do not want just a battery bank and gen powered charger.

[Sunking]

No, I do not want just a battery bank and gen powered charger.

OK Flats I get it. We have known each other for many years now starting back on my Solar Forum 10 years ago. As you recall your location gives us problem with batteries during the winter months.

At just 3.4 Kwh/day with a 48 volt battery works out to 350 AH. Using 2500 watt panel on a 48 volt 350 AH battery is a bit much for most FLA batteries to handle, or at least most batteries. 2500 watts puts you at 50 amps of charge current or C/7. With a Rolls 5000 series maximum charge current limit is 20% of C @ 20 hour rate aka C/5, so you are OK just keep an eye on the water level.

Back to charge controllers. Well at least 50 amps or higher, and if it were me, I would use what I already know and familiar with. So use whatever brand you use now like Morningstar, Outback, or Midnite Solar. All three or good. So stick with what you know.

Inverters you already know you need gen support with built-in battery charger. Just be careful with the charger part not to exceed 60/70 amps the max limit of your battery. Do not go below 35 amps, and no higher than 70 amps. I think Mike covered brands and models pretty good.

Good Luck and send me a bottle of syrup. Cannot get it in Panama.

[maple flats]

Thanks, I'm familiar with both Outback FX60 and FX80 CC's and the XW CC I now have on my 1480 watt portion of my current system. I think I liked the outback a little better, thus, how does an FX 60 controller, coupled to a Outback GVFX 3648 inverter and with a Surrette 428 AH battery bank sound. Does that look like a decent match up?

[maple flats]

If you want some syrup. you'll need to wait til the next season starts (could be 3 weeks up to 3/28 if it goes like last year before it starts). Then either way it usually ends 2-5 weeks after it starts, but in 12 seasons it has never gone past 4/17 for an end. I all depends on the weather, we need cold nights (below 30F) and warm days (35-50F max). The more of those cycles I get during a season the more syrup I make.

[Sunking]

What Grade do you cook too?

[Sunking]

how does an FX 60 controller, coupled to a Outback GVFX 3648 inverter and with a Surrette 428 AH battery bank sound.

Do you need Grid Interactive?

[ButchDeal]

Thanks, I'm familiar with both Outback FX60 and FX80 CC's and the XW CC I now have on my 1480 watt portion of my current system. I think I liked the outback a little better, thus, how does an FX 60 controller, coupled to a Outback GVFX 3648 inverter and with a Surrette 428 AH battery bank sound. Does that look like a decent match up?

With the 3648, you are better off with the FX80, closer size match. The inverter and CC are not designed to be exposed so should be in weather tight area. I would recommend the FlexPower 1 system, it has the inverter, CC, AC and DC all set up with battery monitor and mate 3. If you need 240v or generator is 240V you will want the auto transformer as well.
Leo the FXR3648 is the fewer line

[maple flats]

Grades are not a function of how far you cook (boil) the syrup. There is now an international grading system rather than 7 different grading systems. It is solely based on light transmission thru a specific test vessel. 75%+=golden, 50-74.9%= Amber, 25-49.9%=Dark and under 25% = very dark. All must be of good flavor or they must go to the commercial market and can not be sold retail. The less light transmission, the more pronounced the maple flavor. I generally (and all seasons are different) make all grades. Usually the earlier in the season the lighter the grade. My biggest seller each year, until I sell out is Dark, followed by Amber, followed by very Dark. I sell very little Golden and often blend it with darker syrups to sell it.
The only control I have over grade to any extent is created in the spped or intensity of the boil, the faster (harder) it boils the greater the chance it will end up lighter in Grade. I first remove between 75-85% of the water by running it thru an RO (reverse osmosis) which in my case removes 75% at a flow rate of 250 GPH input. Then the rest of the excess water is removed by boiling. My evaporator is wood fired and I add a full arm load of 21" long wrist size seasoned wood every 9 minutes, by the clock. The evaporator has a high pressure blower for both over fire air and under fire air for maximum combustion efficiency. If you send me a PM I'll let you know when I am in my next season. However, I only ship in the lower 48 states, I do not export (yet).

As for the inverter, I do not need grid interactive, in fact I don't even want it. (yes, I know, the grid IS the best buy, but that's how bit is on this install. No grid power. I did not find an inverter I thought looked as good as the GVFX3648 inverter, Do you have any suggestions?
For solar panels I'm thinking 8 @ 280 watts, Solar World panels, mounted as 2 strings of 4, if strings of 5 would fit (I'll need to measure and study the voltages) I'd go 2 strings of 5.

[maple flats]

ButchDeal, Sunking suggested I not charge any faster than 60A, so I figured the FX60 to be the best choice, by the way, I will not have enouigh panels to crowd the 60A anyways

[ButchDeal]

ButchDeal, Sunking suggested I not charge any faster than 60A, so I figured the FX60 to be the best choice, by the way, I will not have enouigh panels to crowd the 60A anyways

If so then you likely could go with the sealed 3048 inverter instead of the vented 3648. Slightly less inverter capacity, plenty of burst capacity though, and sealed inverter.

[maple flats]

Please educate me. This is why, even though I already have a solar set-up at another location, I am trying to get the best answers before I jump in.
When I started my first solar system I made lots of expensive mistakes (like buying a PWM controller and a real cheap inverter in 240 that could not run anything except a 240V motor until I further invested in a transformer. I got loads of lost efficieny compounded. I now want to avoid that and I understand that this is a great forum to get the right answers and to be educated a little along the way.

[Sunking]

Please educate me. This is why, even though I already have a solar set-up at another location, I am trying to get the best answers before I jump in.
When I started my first solar system I made lots of expensive mistakes (like buying a PWM controller and a real cheap inverter in 240 that could not run anything except a 240V motor until I further invested in a transformer. I got loads of lost efficieny compounded. I now want to avoid that and I understand that this is a great forum to get the right answers and to be educated a little along the way.

Yes I remember very well the mistakes ole friend. Now you can appreciate why I was so hard on you.

So let's get it right the first time. We need more info from you. About all we know is daily watt hours, battery size, and location. Great start but only tells us Panel wattage, Controller size, and battery capacity. Now we need to know how it will be used.

Largest load demand. Meaning how many watts wil be demaded at any one time. Not how many are connected. If all you wil demand is no more than say 1500 watts, then you only need a 1500 to 2000 watt Inverter.

Will the loads be 120, 240, or 240/120. You do not want to buy another converter to change 120 to 240/120 again now do you?

Will the Inverter be wired into house wiring? You canno tuse a mobile inverter in you rhome. That is a huge mistake most people make.

Is it grid interconnected?

Do you need generator and battery charger support built in the Inverter? Answer is most likely yes unless you are grid connected.

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